Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
“Try it on,” I hear Aunt Ileana say and look across the closet. “I bought that twenty years ago in Paris and never had an occasion to wear it.”
“It’s so delicate.” And it is. The lace material is so finely detailed that one snag could cause major damage.
“Try it on,” she repeats. So, with a nod, I take it to her bathroom and close the door. It takes some effort to get myself into the dress and zip it up, but as soon as I have it on, I know it’s the one. Not only do I feel beautiful, but it fits me perfectly. I poke my head out the door and shout, “Don’t look yet.”
“Okay,” she calls back, and I rush across the room to her heels and grab a pair of strappy, flesh-colored sandals off her shelf. They have a high heel and a thin strap that crosses over the tops of my toes and then wraps around my ankle. When they’re on, I tie my hair back into a slicked-back ponytail and walk toward my iPad.
“Ready,” I say, and my aunt’s face appears on the screen.
“Oh, my beautiful girl.” She covers her mouth with her hand. “It’s…”
“Perfect,” Marco finishes for her softly.
“Yes. It’s perfect.” She smiles at me. “That dress looks beautiful on you, Reese.”
“Are you sure you’re okay with me borrowing it?”
“It’s yours. It was obviously made for you.” She smiles and then glances at my feet, grinning. “The shoes, on the other hand, you’ll have to return.”
Laughing, I turn to my side and take myself in. With the sun I’ve been getting, my skin isn’t its normal pale shade but a golden-bronze. And my hair has lightened in places, making it seem almost as if I had highlights put in. I don’t look like the same woman who moved here a couple of months ago. And I don’t feel like her either. I’m happy—happier than I’ve been in years.
“What are your plans this evening?” Marco asks as I take off the heels.
“Brodie said he got the stuff to make kitchen sink cookies, so we are doing that and watching a movie.”
“You two have been spending a lot of time together,” Aunt Ileana says casually, but I know her. And I know there was nothing casual about that comment. She’s digging, hoping I’ll tell her that something is going on between us. Like that I’m pretty sure he was going to kiss me yesterday evening. And I’m also pretty sure I would have kissed him back.
“We’re friends. And as he explained to me, this is his time off. When he starts practicing soon, I probably won’t see him as much.”
“He told you that he won’t see you as much?”
I frown. “No, he just told me he will have to practice most days.”
“Hmm.” She hums, and I shake my head at her. “I’m going to go change and then head up to his place. I love you.”
“Love you, too. Have fun tonight.”
“Thank you. And thanks again for letting me raid your closet.”
“What’s mine is yours.” She smiles. “I’ll call you when we get to Rome since we are traveling tomorrow.”
“Okay, be safe.” I blow her and Marco a kiss and then wander back into the bathroom, carefully getting out of the dress. When it’s back on the hanger, I put on the sweats and tank top I had been wearing earlier, then check on Mickey to make sure he’s good before leaving the apartment and taking the elevator up to the penthouse on the top floor.
When I get to Brodie’s door, I knock and wait, then knock again when he doesn’t answer after a couple of minutes. Taking out my cell, I check the time. I’m a few minutes early, but only a few. He should be here. The door swings inward, startling me, and my head flies up. I blink as my eyes collide with a half-naked Brodie wearing nothing but a thick white towel around his waist, his broad chest beaded with water. I swallow while my nipples pebble and the space between my legs throbs. You’d think, having seen him in swim trunks, I would be able to control my reaction to seeing him like he is now—or mostly like he is now because I’ve never seen him dripping wet, and his towel is doing nothing to hide just how well-endowed he is.
“Sorry, my agent called when I was just finishing with my workout, and I didn’t realize what time it was, so I jumped in the shower.” He reaches for my hand and drags me into his apartment, which is a good thing because I doubt I could have gotten my feet to move on their own.
“No problem.” I look anywhere but at him, then thank my lucky stars when Jeb decides to make an appearance at that moment and comes to greet me. “You can get dressed.” It sounds like an order, and he laughs.